Shades of Black
by Akatsuki1989
Summary: Life is seen in shades of gray. But what about the shades in black? No one ever sees those. HP-Naruto cross over
1. Prologue

**Shades of Black**

_Prologue_

There exist in this world many interesting phenomenon. Rainbows, lightning, love. Many others could be listed for hours, and you still wouldn't be able to name them all. Many people see these events in black and white. No color, just good and evil. There are some lucky ones who can look ahead. They can see how an event will shape the world and change humanity for better or for worse. These people can, continuing the metaphor, see in shades of grey. Nothing is as clear cut as black and white.

There are an innumerable few, maybe one in a million, who can see the shades of grey in the darkest event. Something so black, it could eclipse the Sun.

Strangely enough, there are a select few that walk these shades. They move in the shadows of evil and night equally silently. Their actions are frowned upon by the general populace. They use power unrivalled by the strongest warrior, the wisest magi, and the greatest kings. Those that can see the shades of black understand. These men and women who walk the shadows do so for the greater good. They walk the fine line between reason and madness, and police the border between good and evil. They strike with precision and cunning, causing one death that saves millions of lives. This is the story of these heroes, and one boy, who brought them into the light. For the light casts a stronger shadow. This is the story of that boy, his fight, his friends, his love, his sacrifice, and his choice to walk in those shadows.

This is a story of the shadow warriors and the war they fought against a particular evil. This is a story of the shinobi.

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	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1- Whisked Away_

The sky was blue. A beautiful, bright blue. Birds chirped in the trees, reveling in the late summer breeze. A lone boy, about 15 years old, with unruly dark hair and old round glasses, sat on a lone swing set in an empty park, watching the beautiful English weather.

It was mocking him.

No matter how pretty the weather was, it wasn't able to pierce his depressed mood. Only a month ago, he had been forced to watch a friend die, and an enemy to return from near death.

The boy cursed softly before standing up to walk home.

Not that the hell-hole he lived in now could ever be called home.

The sun was starting to set when he turned onto a side alley shortcut.

Suddenly, the air chilled. Screams started to play in his head like a record. Two dark shapes swooped down towards him.

The screaming increased, driving the boy to his knees. The figures moved closer.

He collapsed. Taking one last look up, he saw a silver shape, unidentifiable through the frost on the glasses and the tears in his eyes, before Harry Potter blacked out.

He came to in a dark room. There were no lights or windows, and the ground he lay on was cold. No sounds met his ears.

He called out several times, and was rewarded on the third try. A dim bulb snapped on, revealing a very drab room. The walls were covered in ugly drab wallpaper, and the wood floor was almost black. Several old wooden chairs sat next to a large, and frankly forbidding, bookshelf. The light bulb hung bare from the grey ceiling.

"Hello, Harry."

The boy spun around to the chairs he had previously overlooked. One was occupied by an old man, his grey beard and odd purple robes identifying him easily.

"Hello, professor." Harry greeted Professor Dumbledore with a relieved smile.

"I saw you were in trouble and stepped in. You should be more careful." The old man chastised gently.

"Who sent the dementors?" Harry asked, ignoring the reprimand.

"Who else?" Dumbledore sighed, rubbing his eyes with a wrinkled hand.

Harry nodded, and silence fell between the boy and his mentor.

"He's really back." Harry mumbled. Dumbledore looked sadly at the boy he saw as a grandson. "I had hoped it was a bad dream." The boy laughed, but the sound was hollow.

"Yes, well… We need to talk about a few things of importance." Dumbledore began. "This attack on you has revealed certain problems. The first is that our enemy is more cunning than we feared. He also has a quite a few allies, more than we do. You are more important than many people know." Here he trailed off into thought.

"What do you mean, sir?" Harry asked, getting anxious.

Dumbledore sighed. "There was a prophecy, given just before you were born. It described a boy who would be born, and who would be destined to either destroy or be destroyed by Voldemort. The child was you." He looked at Harry, who had fallen completely silent.

"I have searched for loopholes, other children, other possibilities, for sixteen long years, but to no avail. I'm sorry." He sounded like he was trying to explain to himself, as well as the teen in front of him.

"Why now?" Harry was confounded. "Why me? WHY ME?!" He screamed, throwing several books off the shelf at the wall.

Dumbledore laughed mirthlessly. "Can you imagine how you would have reacted before now? I deemed you mature enough. And as for why you? Well, I don't know. This prophecy is the reason Voldemort targeted your parents. It is why he will never stop hunting you. But it also means that you are their instrument of vengeance, and avenger for the fallen. You will defeat him. I have faith."

These words did more to calm Harry down than anything else.

"So what now?" Dumbledore could see the resolve in the boy's eyes.

"These attacks are a problem. You are in danger, yes, but the bigger threat is to your friends." Harry instantly thought to his constant companions. Ron, always eating. Hermione, always reading. And…

"You know they will be targeted." Dumbledore cut through his thoughts. "They could be hurt, or worse." He left the words unsaid. But the meaning carried across. Harry gulped twice before speaking. "How should I do it?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in question.

"They mean more to me than anything else. But how can I get rid of them, to make them safe?"

"Oh, no, my dear boy!" Dumbledore laughed loudly. "No, you won't abandon your precious friends. Or maybe you will, in a sense…" He walked over to his protégé, putting a hand on his shoulder, the boy's tension melted away. "No, I am sending you away. You will be under the care of an old friend of mine. She will keep you safe, for the year you'll be there, at least. I have a plan for afterwards, but let's leave that for later, shall we?"

"Where am I going? And where the hell are we now?" Harry's curiosity finally caught up to him.

"This is the headquarters of my own little resistance force, the Order of the Phoenix. 12 Grimmauld place. It actually belongs to your godfather. He's around here somewhere, as are your friends. We brought them here to be safe after your incident. You will have a chance to see them before you have to leave. In fact, you shall have two hours from now. Meet me in the entrance hall then, and we shall take you to your new h… ome…" The ancient wizard had turned around to find the room empty, the door ajar. He chuckled softly at the resilience and energy of youth.

Harry quickly found his true family in the subterranean kitchen/basement. He was quickly pulled into a hug by just about every person in the room. Ron and Hermione quickly greeted him before returning to a previous argument. Ginny, Ron's little sister, blushed brightly before hugging Harry and retreating to the stove. The boy received several bone-crushing hugs, courtesy of the other Weasleys, and his very own godfather/escaped convict, Sirius Black. He spent most of the time explaining the situation, and getting introduced to the new faces around the room. These were all Order members, including a tall, black version of Mr. Clean, and an odd transforming woman who seemed to have less maturity than he did. The two, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, both seemed nice, but very strange. Then again, most wizards were, reasoned Harry.

Eventually, the hectic two hours of eating and talking ended, and Harry was soon standing in the entrance hall awaiting his teacher. A nondescript duffel bag sat next to him, holding necessary clothes. The rest of the people in the house were piled around, waiting to say good-bye. The gloom weighed heavily on all of them.

Dumbledore strode into the room, and quickly spoke to Harry.

"Your escort should be arriving soon. He works for the woman you will be staying with."

Harry nodded before turning to say his farewells. He stepped up to Ron first, looking up at his first friend.

"Take care Ron. Don't have too much fun without me." The two laughed before sharing a quick embrace.

"Keep an eye on the lug for me, okay?" He turned to Hermione. The girl just smiled sadly and hugged him tight.

"Be safe, Harry." She whispered before letting go.

He went down the line, saying goodbye to the Weasley's, Sirius, and the Order members he had met. Finally, he turned back to Ron.

"Where's Ginny?"

Ron just shrugged, while Hermione smiled secretively. Neither answered.

"Whatever. Tell her I said goodbye, okay?" Hermione just continued to smile.

Harry walked back to Dumbledore, carrying his bag. The two quickly left the building, not looking back at the sadness and pain left behind.

They stepped onto the sidewalk, and Harry took one last look back at the building they had left. He caught a glimpse of dark red reflected from an upper window just before the sun set and the house was lost in the darkness.

'I'm gonna miss that color.' He started at the thought. Where in the world did that come from?

He never saw the new man appear ahead of them.

"Yo." He raised two fingers in greeting.

Harry started and looked forward at the man, illuminated by a streetlamp.

He was tall. Grey hair, poof-ed out, like he had stuck a finger in an electrical socket. He had an odd green vest and a black mask over his mouth and nose. A headband with a metal plate attached covered his left eye.

"You're late, again." Dumbledore seemed to reprimand, but the smile indicated otherwise.

"My apologies. I got lost on the road of life." The man sounded lazy, and his lackadaisical posture seemed to confirm it.

"It's good to see you again, Kakashi." Dumbledore grasped the man's hand in a firm grip.

"You, too, Dumbledore-san. Is this the boy?"

"Indeed. Harry Potter, meet Kakashi Hatake."

"Well, we need to go, Potter-san." Kakashi pulled out a head band, similar to his own, and tossed it to Harry. The man made several hand signs in the instant the boy caught the object. Harry barely saw the symbol etched into the metal, a swirled leaf, before he felt the familiar tug of a portkey activating.


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2- Home Sweet Home_

Naruto Uzumaki sat alone on the rooftop of the Hokage's tower. He was watching the stars, unable to sleep once more.

He was plenty tired, but whenever he tried to sleep, images of violence and abandonment threatened to tear apart his sanity. The images were always the same. The boy (yes, just a child, yet the burdens were tremendous) had been forced to watch, unable to do anything significant, as his best friend Sasuke Uchiha abandoned the village. Naruto had fought, but all in vain. Nothing short of death could bring Sasuke back, it seemed.

The blonde shinobi watched as several meteors flashed across the heaven.

**"You are troubled, again. The same dream?"** A deep, resonating voice seemed to well up from the depth of his mind. The demon Nine-Tailed Fox, trapped inside the boy by the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice, spoke quietly to its keeper, sensing the depression.

"Yeah, Kitsune-sama. I can't think of anything but the hatred in his eyes, the hatred in all their eyes. No matter how hard I try. The bastards won't give an inch." Naruto spoke of the villagers, the other Leaf-nin, who saw him only for the demon, not the boy.

The fox had spent hundreds of years watching humanity. It had seen the cruelty of the masses, and had acted accordingly. The destruction of Konoha was to be the first step. But one man had changed that. The Yondaime, Naruto's idol, had sacrificed himself for the village with no second thoughts, save possibly for the potential fate of the boy. The child's persistence and obnoxious, yet uplifting, optimism had over the years whittled at the fox's anger and apathy. Now, the demon was willing to forgo destruction of humanity. He had often teased the boy about tormenting the people by getting Naruto put in charge. Nonetheless, the demon thought of Naruto as human-kind's best hope.

**"Ah, they're all just a bunch of dicks. When you come back in two days, they'll be eating out of your hand. Those muscles'll have the women fawning over you, and the men bowing at your feet."** Naruto cheered a bit at the gentle prod. He had developed over his three year absence, growing muscle and maturity, as well as a healthy need for human companionship. Well, that's what happens when you live with a sage for three years. People were scarce in the wilderness.

"Your right, Kitsune-sama. They'll see the new me. And my accomplishments. No more Mr. Nice-Naruto. I'll show them all the new me." Naruto stood, holding out a first in front of him. "I promise. Dattebayo!"

**"Oh, not that thing again!"** As much as the fox-spirit enjoyed the boy's spirit, the catch-phrase was damned obnoxious.

The blonde boy laughed as he formed a quick hand sign and flickered away in a rush of leaves.

He appeared back at a tent in a nearby forest. His mentor was waiting.

"Couldn't wait just two days, huh?" Jiraiya, the Toad Mountain Sage, muttered, seeing his pupil return.

"Nope. I miss the old dump!" Naruto flashed a grin at his teacher before turning more serious again. "What training do I have before we go back? Two days is a long time."

"You will be working on chakra control. You're good, but not on my level, yet." Jiraiya bragged loudly, puffing his chest out. Naruto and Kyuubi agreed, it made him look very much like the toads the sage was famed for summoning, but no one told him that.

"Yes, sensei." Naruto sighed, used to his mentor's braggadocio. It was nearly as bad as Might Guy's. "How do you think the folks'll react to my…" Jiraiya jumped in.

"They'll love you for it. I haven't kept up with the latest intel, but I think replacements have not been forthcoming. Not to mention, Orochimaru has been oddly silent. Something big is going down. I can feel it." He fell silent, only thinking the end of his sentence. 'Not to mention, most people are scared of the Demon of the Forest, now. I must commend Tobi-san for the nice name.'

Indeed, Jiraiya would have been surprised if no one noticed the changes in Naruto. The boy had nearly abandoned the orange, settling for a drab brown and green outfit more at home in the ranks of Konoha. He still had the damned bright color, but now it was simply in the flames on his headband. The tattered black hitai-ite had been replaced with one sporting flames and a fox-motif surrounding the swirled-leaf symbol. The embroidering alone had set Jiraiya back a pretty penny, but it was worth it to lose the damned jumpsuit.

The boy had also matured. His chakra was immense. His strength impressive. The cunning was starting to rival Kyuubi. Indeed, Naruto was a powerful ninja. His face had hardened from the pudgy round face of a child to the edges and straight lines of a true adult. Muscles had built up. The scars along his face were more pronounced, giving a much stronger feral impression. The blue eyes still held their spark, but now it was tempered with wisdom and intelligence into a true flame of youth worthy of Rock Lee.

The toad-sannin shook himself out of his reverie to watch Naruto begin his exercises. 'Yes, the boy has grown well, Minato. I have done my best, old friend.'

The night had gone on for several hours after the blonde boy had left. The Hokage's tower was just as silent, until around four in the morning. Then a building wind was heard in the top office, as two dark figures spun into existence.

Harry Potter quickly dusted himself off and looked around. He was surrounded by red walls lined with bookshelves. A cough behind him caught his attention.

Harry spun, noticing that Kakashi was standing at attention, his visible eye locked on a figure at the massive desk dominating the side of the room.

Harry was floored. The woman had blond hair, much like several girls he had known home. Her green jacket wasn't as odd as the strange hat sitting on a hangar behind her. But something else was off.

She was, well… well-endowed! Very well, indeed. Harry instantly blushed and his eyes shot to look at her face. He noticed, through his embarrassment, that she had an odd purple crystal on her forehead.

"Ah, good. You're back, Kakashi. Just in time to welcome Naruto back. He'll be home in two, no, one day. And you brought the boy. Good." Her tone, while polite and friendly, seemed to brook no argument. "SHIZUNE!" Her shout caused Harry to jump slightly. '_Do not cross this woman_', he vowed to himself silently.

A dark-haired woman poked her head in the door before huffing. "No sake, Tsunade-sama." She vanished before the heavy book Tsunade had thrown could connect with her head.

"Damn. I need a drink. Why can't some one else baby-sit the brat." Tsunade grumbled, seeming to forget about Harry.

Kakashi coughed lightly. Tsunade seemed to snap out of her mood.

"Ah yes. Potter-chan. Introductions and explanations. Kakashi!" She snapped at the grey-haired man, who had pulled an orange book out of his jacket.

"Yes, Hokage?"

"Get Team 8. I'll make them baby-sit. I don't have the patience. Or the liquor."

"Hai!" Kakashi vanished in a swirl of smoke, surprising Harry. 'Soundless apparition?'

Tsunade seemed to see his thoughts. "You'll find that certain things are not as impossible as you once thought. Welcome to Konohagakure, or just Konoha. I am the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. You're safe with us."

Meanwhile, Kakashi had assembled the three genin of Team 8. Kiba Inuzuka was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Hinata Hyuuga was as awake as any teen would be at the early hour. And Shino Aburame was… well… as stoic as ever. Maybe he was asleep inside the cocoon of his coat and glasses.

"Well. You three are being given a new mission. There is a boy from England here. He needs protecting and you are the ones for it."

"Awesome. Can I sleep now? It must only be a d-rank, so why wake us?" Kiba growled softly. "And where's Kurenai-sensei?" He looked around for his teacher.

"She is asleep. The mission is for you three. And it is actually an A-rank."

At this, the three seemed to perk up a considerable deal.

"Your first without a jounin leader. And… Hinata is in charge." Kakashi said, picking one at random. "Report to the Hokage once you've gotten ready. She'll brief and introduce you to your charge. The mission will be long. Just a warning. Later." Kakashi poof-ed away before any complaints could be aimed at him.

"He's probably going to sleep. Damn, lazy bastard." Kiba grunted. "I'm gonna get Akamaru. I'll meet you there."

"Hai, Kiba." Shino said quietly before walking straight for the tallest building in Konoha. He was always ready.

'Why do I feel I'm only leader in title?' Hinata thought to herself before walking after Shino. 'Oh, well. Hopefully, Naruto-kun will be impressed. I hope…' She smiled thinking of the blonde boy she had missed greatly over his three year absence.

"Hinata. Focus on the mission. Then, he'll see you. Or I'll push him off a cliff." Shino muttered back at his team leader.

Hinata giggled, understanding how the bug-boy cared. He _was_ like a brother. He just didn't know how to tease properly.

'This should be interesting.'


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Disclaimer. I'm gonna say this once. If I owned either story, would I be here? The idea is my own subconcious, but the characters you recognize are not.**

**Hope you enjoy the new chapter! Kudos to anyone who can say, in a review (hint hint), what the title is from!**

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Chapter 3- Expectations of White Sails

Harry was having a strange day. He had been in Konoha for just thirty-six hours, and had almost died seven times. Not because of Death Eaters, or some evil villain, but rather because of his own trainer.

"Potter! Move it, and stop thinking!" Anko's voice pierced his thoughts, much like the senbon needles the woman hurled at him regularly to improve his reflexes. No matter the time of day, the semi-psychotic tokubetsu jonin would torment him, forcing Harry to excersise in cold water, or train in unbearable heat. And it was only the second day!

Eventually she allowed him to stop running laps around the lip of the village wall. Harry quickly sank to the ground. Anko sat next to him.

"You're doing better, brat. Give me a couple more weeks, and you'll be ready for genin exams. Maybe Godaime-sama wasn't as crazy as I thought when she gave me this assignment." She grinned widely before leaving quickly.

"Probably needs her dango fix. Crazy bitch." Harry muttered darkly before pulling himself to his feet. The pain increased, but he eventually succeeded. The dark-haired boy dragged himself along the main street, limping every so often.

Suddenly, several figures sped past him. Harry recognized his new friends and guides, Team Hinata, as well as several other ninja.

He called out to Kiba and Hinata, grabbing their attention.

"Harry-kun! Are you done training?" Hinata asked quietly, jumping down from the roof she had been running along.

"Yeah, Anko let me live for today." Harry ruffled his hair, laughing.

"Lucky! She's kinda scary when she's in the mood…" Kiba muttered from the string of lights he hung upside-down from. Akamaru barked from Kiba's knee, where the dog was perched. "Anyway, you can come with us!"

Shino stood nearby, saying nothing as usual.

"I can barely walk!" Harry winced at another twinge.

"That's no problem. Sakura!" Kiba called to one of the other ninja.

The pink-haired girl Harry had met after his first training session the day before walked over.

"The usual, Harry-kun?" Sakura smiled as the expected green glow formed around her hands. She reached out for his arm.

"Please." Harry grinned back at the medic. The pain vanished at the contact.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked Shino as the group started to run again.

"A friend is coming back today. He's been away for nearly three years." Shino saw Hinata blush and smiled. She, apparently, couldn't wait for the arrival. Of course, no one saw the flash of emotion on Shino's face. He was still wrapped in his usual coat and sunglasses.

"So who are these guys?" Harry motioned to the other ninja near them.

Kiba jumped into the conversation. "Team Guy and Team Asuma. Team Guy is Rock Lee, Neji Hyuuga, and Tenten. Led by Might Guy." He pointed at each ninja respectively. "Team Asuma consists of Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka, and is led by Asuma Sarutobi.

"I heard even Gaara came back to see him!" Harry overheard Ino gossiping with Sakura. He tuned out the two kunoichi, wondering who "Him" was.

They arrived at the gates, and quickly crouched on one of the low buildings nearby. All around them people were waiting. Several had signs or odd clothes.

"Who the hell is this guy?"

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki." Harry jumped at the flat voice below him. He looked down into the shade below the building. The voice belonged to a short red-haired teen. He seemed to have dark rings around his eyes, and a red tattoo over his left eyebrow.

Next to the boy sat two other figures. One was a tall man with all black clothes and odd purple face-paint. The other was a girl, medium height, with blonde hair tied into four short ponytails and a good deal of fishnet.

"GAARA! You did come! Your youth continues to amaze me!" Lee shouted before clapping an arm on the redhead's shoulder. Harry caught a ghost of a smile on the boy's face.

"Temari. How goes it?" Shikamaru looked upside down from his traditional cloud-watching position.

"Lazy as usual, Shikamaru?" Temari smiled, despite the insult

"Kankuro! Good to see ya!" Kiba grinned at the black-clothed one.

"At least this time I won't have to save your ass." Kankuro snickered, before accepting a proffered arm up onto the roof.

The group quickly passed around introductions before turning to watch the crowd gather.

"It seems Naruto is more popular than before." Temari said, watching several girls twitter away around some hand-painted sign.

"Indeed. Nearly twenty percent of the villagers have shown up. Much better than when he left." Sakura replied.

"I don't get it. If he was this popular now, why wasn't he back then?" Harry asked anyone listening.

"He holds a demon." Gaara said bluntly. Several of the girls gasped at this information, while several of the boys looked darkly at the ground, as if it had offended them.

"What do you mean?" Harry was utterly confused. A real demon?

"He is the container for the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Sealed by the Fourth Hokage. Most people don't even look past that fact, seeing him for the demon." Sakura said quietly.

"Most children don't know, but they always saw how the adults treated him, and picked up the habit. An orphan, he had no friends till the Academy." Shikamaru piped in.

"Really? He holds that…" Ino whispered quietly, not expecting the answer. "Damn…"

"He can speak with it. He shares the power. I know that much. But he never was corrupted. He took his revenge on the village that tormented him by pranking them." Gaara seemed almost emotional, mostly because his situation was similar. His statement was left unfinished, but the end was understood by the rest who knew him. 'Unlike me.'

"He always said he'd be Hokage someday." Hinata smiled wistfully. Her opinion hadn't changed upon hearing the news. After all, hadn't she loved him before? Nothing changed.

"Damn. He's worse off than me." Harry said quietly. Kankuro picked up on this immediately.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Parents killed when I was a baby. My uncle and aunt took me in, and mistreated me my whole life. I learned it was because I was magical, or could manipulate chakra, like you. But the difference was, where I'm from, the facts are secret. We 'magical folk' hide everywhere. So my new family, being unable to do it, hated me for the talent. Then I discover my real parents were killed by an evil bastard, who wants to kill me for some prophecy. I've been attacked nearly once a year, even when I'm supposedly safe. Plus, my friends are in danger, too." Harry finished with a sigh. "Life can be such a bitch, sometimes. I _have _to kill the fucker. Or else die trying."

"Damn. That sucks." Kiba whistled softly.

"Ah, well. Sounds like this Naruto guy could be just my type." Harry smiled lightly. "Dad was a prankster as well. Maybe we can trade secrets." He laughed a bit.

"Yeah. Life's too short to be emotional." Sakura said cheerfully.

"Too bad Sasuke didn't realize that." Ino said.

"Don't even mention that bastard. Naruto nearly died trying to bring him home. I never realized how close it was, till I saw the report. A Chidori to the chest missed his heart by inches. Sasuke can rot for all I care. Him and his vengeance." Sakura whipped around to hide her anger. She hadn't forgiven the Uchiha boy for his transgressions. Not to mention breaking her heart. Maybe she wouldn't ever.

"Yeah, well, you're better off now." Ino went to pacify her friend. "Just ask Lee!" The green-clad boy in question grinned brightly before returning to his push-ups.

"He's crazy, but a bit cute." Ino whispered loudly for Sakura's sake. The red-clad girl laughed before agreeing. "And now, he's mine." She smiled at her silly boyfriend.

Suddenly a cry went up from those nearest the gate. The groups jumped up and pushed closer for a view. Sakura even stood on Lee's shoulders to see better.

"It's…"

"…"

"Oh, my God…"

"Shit, not now."

"AKATSUKI!!!"

Several screams, more terror than anticipation, rang out. The shinobi raced forward at the call, expecting a dastardly duo of black robed missing-nin. What they saw was even more bizarre.

A line of six of the ninja, all dressed in their black cloaks with the red clouds, walked silently forward. Each had a white armband tied on. They all wore straw hats that covered their faces.

As the odd group moved towards the road block of Konoha ninja, Harry noticed different symbols on the armbands. Four had the swirled leaf of Konoha, while the other two had a strange rock symbol and a squiggly-line insignia.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tsunade called out from the middle of the crowd. Harry had never noticed her arrival.

"Hokage-sama. We come in peace. And we wish for asylum." The one with the rock armband stepped forward. He pulled off his hat, revealing long blond hair set much like Ino's. The man next to him, a leaf-armband, also removed his hat. His face was covered with an odd orange mask. It was in the shape of a swirl, centered around the lone hole for the right eye. The blonde man continued, "My name is Deidara. Formerly from Iwagakure. My companion is O…" He was cut off by his partner.

"You may call me Tobi. I was born in Konoha."

"And why do you return? You are all missing-nin, unless Akatsuki's requirements have slacked since my last report."

"Indeed, several of us are. But we wish to change your opinions. I hope these will change your minds." Deidara reached into his cloak at Tobi's prodding. The others did likewise. The ninja surrounding them tensed, ready for a fight.

The 5 Akatsuki members pulled out several rings each. These were all silver, with a different kanji inscribed on each one. The ninja tossed them at the ground at the feet of the Hokage.

"Rings? From…" Tsunade seemed to grasp the seriousness of the situation. "There are thirteen here! There were twenty four members, minus these, and you, leaves…"

"Five, Hokage-sama. All that remains," The tall man with the lines on his arm band stepped forward, pulling off his hat. His blue skin drew a collective gasp from the crowd, as did his sharp-toothed grin. "Kisame Hoshigake, of Kirigakure, at your service. Needless to say, the old organization had certain goals that were not in line with our own. We have quite the story for you. Even my friend." Here the focus turned to another one of the Konoha men. He stepped forward, removing the hat swiftly. Several yells of anger rang out as Itachi Uchiha revealed himself.

"SILENCE!" Tsunade shouted. "We will listen. Even to this… criminal." She glared at him. Itachi said nothing, expecting this treatment. Instead, he looked down at his new purple nail polish, as if a murderous mob was something he lived with every day.

"And the other two?" She turned back to the men before her. "They have Konoha bands, but I don't remember there being any more missing leaf-nin on the report."

"Oh, they joined awhile ago. Seems that the best place to hide a jinchuriki from a criminal organization is…" Here the two stepped forward, revealing themselves. One had white hair and red markings on his face. The other was blonde with odd whisker-like lines. Both grinned at the stunned silence.

"Inside it."

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**AN: What a twist! R&R, and don't forget my challenge! I will be posting soon. My new contest will be for the titles. If anyone can tell me in a review how I might have been influenced for each title, they will win an e-Kudo! Signed by me! Please? Hello? Anyone? Echo? Oh come on....**


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: The newest installment of the epic tale! Sorry it took a while, but I am lazy, so I get an excuse. If there are any changes in formatting, spelling, or such, then it's because I couldn't be bothered to look at the old chapters to find the original spelling. I'm sticking with it. Anywho, you all know the disclaimer, so I'm not gonna bother. Enjoy!

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_Chapter 4- Precious People_

The first to react to seeing Naruto standing at the gate in an Akatsuki cloak was, surprisingly enough, Kiba.

"Damn. That takes bal-oof!" The dog-loving boy was cut off by a swift backhand from Shino. Akamaru let out a noise surprisingly similar to a chuckle, drawing an odd look from Harry. 'Chuckling dogs? What the hell is this place?'

The six Akatsuki members moved forward. Tobi, Deidara, Kisame, and Itachi simply looked bored, while Jiraiya flexed and flirted with the kunoichi on his left. Naruto tried to focus on the meeting, but his eyes kept straying to the group standing away on the side of the gate.

Itachi spoke for the first time. His voice was low and emotionless, as Naruto had discovered it always was.

"Naruto. Why don't you walk with your comrades. They seem to want to speak to you."

"Hai, Itachi-sempai!" Naruto brightened, and caught the almost-twitch of a smile on the Uchiha's face. He flicked out a quick hand sign and vanished in a swirl of smoke. He reappeared next to Sakura, startling the group with his shunshin.

Naruto grinned at the sudden spike of anger from the startled kunoichi.

"Naruto…" Sakura ground out between gritted teeth. She squeezed a tight fist before relaxing enough to flash a smile at her team mate. That was enough to scare the blonde. Sakura never smiled like that.

"Eh-heh… Hey, Sakura-chan!" The teen rubbed a hand over his spiky hair. "How's it going?"

"Naruto. It's good to see you again." Gaara defused the situation, drawing the attention of his fellow jinchuriki.

"Gaara! Hey!" The group slowly walked along the road following the black robes ahead. The shinobi quickly fell into a rhythm of reintroduction with their loud blonde friend.

Naruto turned to look around, noticing two people had yet to greet him. One was a black haired youth, glasses reminding him of Kabuto glinting in the sun. A small lightning shaped mark adorned his forehead. The other was shyly hiding behind Kiba and Shino. The girl was taller than he remembered, and her clothes, while just as nondescript as before, had definitely required larger sizes.

'Damn. Is that the same Hinata I remember? She's…'

**"Beautiful? Hot? Sexy? Attractive?"**

'All the above? Yeah… Sweet Kami, where have I been all these years, under a rock?' Naruto never even realized he was staring until Ino nudged him with a lecherous grin.

"Enjoying the sights, Naruto-kun?" Naruto knew instantly that the girl had seen his train of thought.

"Maybe," His smirk caused the girl to stumble. Naruto had never been this witty before! The blonde girl watched as he slowed his walk to greet the shy Hyuuga.

Harry watched this Naruto boy live up to his reputation as unpredictable. The blonde boy walked up to Hinata, smiling broadly, and simply started up a conversation while the rest of the group watched in awe. The boy even used innuendo properly, and was conscious of it! Sakura had said the blonde boy was as dense as granite when it came to the matters of the heart, but here he was, flirting with a girl who had a crush on him from early childhood.

'Maybe he's an even better actor than me…'

Even with Hinata's years of practice and improved confidence, she still only lasted a mere four minutes next to Naruto. The moment she realized he was flirting with her, she promptly passed out. Of course, Naruto expected this.

"Same Hinata…" He shook his head as he caught her before the Hyuuga girl could hit the ground. He lifted her over his shoulder so her feet dangled behind his back. Of course, every girl present glared at the act. The girl was supposed to rest in his arms, daintily! Not like a sack of potatoes! Naruto simply ignored the killing intent directed his way. He turned to the last member of the group.

"Who're you?" He asked Harry bluntly.

"Naruto," Shino spoke quietly, as he always did. "This is Harry Potter-san. He has come here from Eng-land," Here the normally unflustered shinobi stumbled over the foreign name. "For training and protection."

"Protection? From what?" Naruto seemed avidly interested in this boy, whose eyes held the same kind of pain as his, and who held himself with a proud grace that seemed out of place among shinobi who tried their best to not stand out.

Harry sighed as he began to retell his story, secretly glad for a being in another place that ignored his fame. He had relished the anonymity of being just another person, training hard to just survive. The pain Anko-sensei had put him through, though incredibly sadistic, had shown that these people didn't care who Harry was, just that he needed training by any means necessary. He was extremely grateful.

As Harry finished his long tale, Naruto seemed to shrink a bit. It was like watching the sun go behind a light fog. The happiness and brightness was still visible, but it was clouded with sadness and pain.

'He's just like me. No parents. People hated him for the first decade of his life. Forced into a higher destiny before he was even born. Yet he acts more like Sasuke-teme. Could I have been like that?' Naruto suddenly realized the quiet attention he got from the crowd. His brightness came back tenfold, but now it was more like a fluorescent light. Artificial and forced.

"That really sucks!"

"Naruto," Sakura stared at her teammate with sadness in her eyes.

"I mean, having this guy," His voice increased in speed, ignoring the pink-haired girl.

"Naruto," Gaara tried to get his friend's, his first friend's, attention as well.

"Volder- whatever after you really must blo-" Naruto was cut off by the loud voice from Sakura.

"NARUTO!" The girl shouted, silencing her blonde friend. She coughed lightly, and continued at a quieter volume. "We all know. Tsunade-sama cleared it, and Gaara told us. We know about the fox."

The blonde demon container gaped at his comrades, expecting to see hatred and anger.

'But hadn't they welcomed me back? This makes no sense.'

"**Maybe they don't care, brat."** The deep voice of the demon fox seemed to rumble in his head.

"We want you to know, we never doubted you for a minute. A demon wouldn't be nearly as nice as you are. Anyone who thinks differently isn't worth your time." Choji said, sagely holding a finger aloft like a professor lecturing. The tense mood was instantly broken by the silly action. The solar-intensity grin returned to Naruto's face, brightening the whole group.

"Yosh! Your youthful strength and joy brings happiness to my heart!" Lee nearly broke into another youth speech before Sakura simply smacked him up the side of the head. He whimpered slightly before the girl giggled and drew him into a hug.

"Lee! You didn't!" Naruto caught the affectionate exchange. "You lucky dog!"

"Naruto?" Sakura never expected the boy who had so predictably tried to glomp onto her to be so unaffected by the loss of his affection.

"Hmm? Oh, right. I should be weeping over my lost love, right? I stopped being like that back before Sas… I mean, I left. Sorry, Sakura, but your not my type. Much to violent." The boy laughed at how Sakura clenched a fist before she realized she was proving him right. She slowly relaxed.

"If that is so, then where do your affections lie, now?" Neji joined the conversation. Naruto was shocked to see a sly grin adorn the Hyuuga prodigy's face.

"Is the apocalypse here yet? Neji just made a joke!" Naruto chuckled at his own quip before sighing. "I dunno. Maybe there's someone out there waiting for me." He glanced over at the girl adorning his shoulder like a fashion accessory. "Maybe she's not that far away." Several of the girls seemed to melt at the romantic idea. Most of the boys rolled their eyes at the antics.

"Now, enough of this mushy crap!" Kiba spoke up, drawing attention to himself. "What the hell did you do while you were gone?"

"Ano… N-Naruto-kun," A soft stutter brought his attention to Hinata, who was waking up to find herself slung over Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto softly deposited the girl on her feet before flashing her a grin and returning to the question at hand.

"I trained for a good deal of time. Jiraiya taught me some new techniques. I met with my tenant, and learned some interesting things. The damn fox…" Naruto was interrupted by a grumble in his stomach. "Ahem. The wonderful and ever- wise Kyuubi no Yoko, may his fur always be fluffy, apparently wants me to be the best damn demon container out there so he won't have to die again so soon. He respects me for my determination, though my damn emotions are slowly making him feel actually less bloodthirsty. His own words. So the perverted fox has taught me some of the things he learned from being eternal, or some crap like that." The boy waved a hand in the air. "After a couple months, we met Ero-sennin's contacts in Akatsuki. Tobi is a big kid, but he's apparently from Konoha. He wouldn't say his real name, only that he was supposed to be dead. Deidara-niisan is amazingly cool, but way too much of a pyro. He was a terrorist in Iwa during the last war, fighting in the resistance. We joined Akatsuki after it was revealed that a good number of the members were all for breaking away. A good number of the loyal faction died. Only the leader and three others are still alive, and they were stranded off the coast of Water last we saw. Itachi and Kisame were the other two ringleaders, so they came back to deal with Tsunade-baachan."

"Wow. Nice story." Kiba muttered, watching the boy with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, but the real question is," Ino said from the back of the group. "Have you ditched the orange?"

Naruto simply grinned as he pulled off the Akatsuki cloak, revealing his new clothes. He laughed at the dropped jaws all around.

"That is impressive, Naruto," Tenten spoke up. "But you're still bright! Don't you want to blend in?"

Naruto simply smiled again, before responding.

"The brightest animals are often the ones who are the most dangerous."

The insightful response floored the majority of the group, seeing how intelligent the supposedly dead last was really.

Slowly, the talk devolved back to mutterings between pairs, and Naruto was content to just walk in the sunshine with his friends. Nothing could make this day bad.

'Well, maybe something could.' Naruto reflected, shivering as the demon sealed into his chest growled softly. He continued to walk next to Hinata, hands clasped behind his head. His other friends, however, saw the smile begin to slip from his face again.

Harry silently noticed several villagers glaring at Naruto as they passed by.

'Not everyone is happy at his return. Intriguing…'

"Harry, right?" He turned back, noticing Naruto had walked up to him. Hinata was watching the two with avid eyes from Naruto's other side.

"Yeah." He smiled quickly at the two similarly aged teens enjoying the calm weather. Naruto broke the silence again with a terse comment.

"Don't worry about them." Harry looked at the other boy in confusion. "The villagers. Just ignore them."

"Why do they hate you? Is it the…" He seemed unwilling to bring up anything possibly painful.

"What? The demon? Yeah. The older generation remember what happened when the demon came, and treat me like crap because of it. Punishing it vicariously, I guess. Retards."

"It wasn't your fault." Hinata said sadly, remembering several painful events she had witnessed. "You didn't choose this. And you're not even the demon. They should be glad you can use that power to protect them."

The formerly-orange ninja laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah. They should be grateful, bow at my feet and worship the very ground I walk on. That sounds like my kind of thing." The sarcasm was evident. "I honestly don't give a shit about them. They've hated me for so long, I could just keep ignoring them. But Kyuubi wants me to stand up for myself, and get my wishes. He sees these scumbags and wanted to destroy them. That was why he attacked. I, apparently, am one of the best hopes for the village. Or that's what Kyuubi-san and Tobi-san say. The fox says… heh…" Here the boy paused to chuckle evilly, slightly creeping Harry and Hinata out. "The fox says I should become Hokage, just to torment them." The two burst out laughing at the new torture devised for the villagers.

"So you still want to be Hokage?" Gaara spoke up from behind Harry, startling the black-haired teen.

"Yeah. But things would change." Now Naruto was much more serious. "I wouldn't give in to their hatred and bigotry. We shinobi fight and kill and die for the village, and get no thanks in return. I've nearly died three times defending this place. I had a Chidori shoved through my chest, for Kami's sake! No, when I'm Hokage, that'll change. They'll look up and shout 'Save us!'" The whole group had gone silent, listening intently to the blonde boy's speech. "And I'll look down and whisper, 'No.'"

"I've tried to be patient, but these scumbags leave me no choice. I'm going to rule them, and show them just why that is right." The boy finished with a self-satisfied nod. He opened an eye closed during his passionate speech, only to blush as he realized nearly a dozen people were staring intently at him.

"Heh…" He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Sorry. I get a bit carried away sometimes!"

"Impressive," Shikamaru said, somehow not tripping as he watched the clouds while walking, "Troublesome, but impressive."

"Yeah, well. I still need to actually do it all. Now that'll be troublesome. Dattebayo!" Sakura groaned at the return of his catchphrase, only to smack him as he burst out laughing. The boy could sure push her buttons. "Anyway, my first step will be to get back that teme, Sasuke." He was startled as the formerly happy pink-haired girl next to him drove her supercharged fist through a wall. Her voice was low and full of pain as she spoke.

"You don't have to worry about _him._ He broke my heart. If he comes back, I'll break his legs."

Naruto watched his teammate with a small frown. "Then I'll bring him back just so you can. Besides, Itachi wanted to talk to the idiot. Said it was an S-class secret, though. Hush-hush and all that. Plus, I never go back on my word. That's my nindo!" Naruto finished with his own version of Gai's 'nice-guy' pose. The differences between the green Jonin and Naruto were glaring. While the smile from Gai was enough to blind children and make men cry, from Naruto it was a pleasant reminder that the boy was as unpredictable and mysterious as his namesake. The pose just seemed to _fit_.

'If that actually makes sense.' Sakura told herself. Surprisingly, her inner-conscience remained silent.

"That's nice and all, but how're you gonna do anything?" Kiba walked backwards, Akamaru by his side, "You're still the loud, bright, dead-last genin from three years ago!"

"Kiba-kun! Stop picking o-on N-Naruto-kun! Besides, I like the brightness…" Hinata blushed at her own daring and courage, as she traced a finger over the spiral symbol stitched onto the breast pocket of Naruto's vest. Everyone else gaped at the usually shy and introverted Hyuuga.

'Damn! When'd she get so damn…'

**'Sexy, attractive, and foxy?'**

'Yeah! She's gonna drive me crazy! I'm so screwed.'

'**That might not be bad…'**

'SHUT IT, ERO_KITSUNE!'

The teen shuddered at her touch before returning to the question at hand.

"Heh. Who are you talking to? The number one unpredictable ninja! I passed mine at the Lightning Country test two months ago, first place finish. Finished 3 S-ranked missions, killed my share of S and A ranked Akatsuki members. Even got myself a title in the Iwa bingo book. Tobi-san thought it up. The Demon of the Forest. I'm embracing my other half, moving up through the ranks, and achieving my goals. Now, are we going to eat, or do I have to go on my own?" He laughed at the gob smacked expression on the faces of his friends.

'This will be fun. Especially the new guy, and Hinata. Very fun.'

'**I think you're starting to pick up my habits, kit.'**

**'**Maybe. But is that such a bad thing?'

'**This will be fun.'

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**

A/N: Hopefully, you all liked my introduction arc. Don't worry. There is a reason this is a Harry Potter story. The reasoning will return in a few chapters. Got 'em written, just gotta type em out. Review, please, or I might die! Authors are like plants. Just substitute stories for leaves and reviews for sunlight. Don't let me die!

Next Chapter: A Prodigal Traitor. The Return of the Uchiha. Sasuke Gets His Butt Handed to Him by a Girl.

Pick your favorite title, and send it in a review! I'll pick the best one! I'm really desperate, if you couldn't tell.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Well, here's the next installment of the story! Sorry for the update time, but my editors are slow. Enjoy!

Still don't own anything. No suing. Got it?

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Chapter 5- Prodigal Traitor

Two months had passed, and the hot summer was drawing to an end. News had spread like wildfire of the new shinobi in Konoha. The four Akatsuki members had been given asylum, while Naruto and Jiraiya had returned to normal living, Naruto with his training, and Jiraiya with his… research. Often was the sound of screeching, indignant women heard.

Of course, Naruto had fallen into his old routines, eating ramen and spending time with friends, with great vigor. He could be seen any day of the week walking down the streets of the Leaf Village, arguing with Kiba or laughing at one of Choji's many attempts at wooing Ino Yamanaka. His new friend, Harry, was equally at his side, like a new sidekick, or perhaps maybe a henchman. Of course, Harry simply accepted the lack of attention in stride. Ever since the attention at Hogwarts, Harry Potter had relished any opportunity to be out of the spotlight. And Naruto seemed to attract attention to himself without even trying.

And if Naruto was seen in the company of one girl, he was seen with a hundred. Every teenaged girl seemed to flock to him like gulls to food. He simply shrugged off the ladies, save for one. Hinata was often the target of multiple death-glares, as she could seem to glomp to Naruto without being ignored. Naruto would turn to her and smile, regaling her with tales of his exotic travels alongside the (aptly-named) Toad-sage. His other feminine friends could be caught holding his shoulder, or arm, while he went about life, but none nearly as much as Hinata. She accepted the killing-intent laced stares with quiet grace and dignity.

The odd trio, Naruto, Hinata and Harry, had become faster friends than any could have expected. Harry quickly achieved his genin rank in a record time, being pushed by Anko faster and harder than most could hope to survive. Due to the lack of genin teams, he was placed in a special team alongside Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura. Harry quickly proved his worth, combing magic with jutsu in devastating combinations. Of course, he had his share of ass-whooping, courtesy of several taijutsu experts who could have given Lee a run for his money. But the boy quickly learned his lessons, and meshed well with his team

Dawn rose on a new day, heralding Harry's third month in Konoha. Today, the original Rookie Nine were meeting, along with Team Gai for a joint training exercise in one of the more distant training grounds. Team Ten and the remnants of teams Seven and Eight were already assembled. Naruto was hanging from a tree branch, weaving another tale of heroics from his journey, while Harry and Kiba laughed at the blonde's antics. Shino and Shikamaru simply sat watching the clouds, while Choji munched the largest bag of chips any of the ninja had ever seen.

A snapping twig dragged the super-sensitive senses of the shinobi straight to attention. Naruto dropped from the tree, waiting for the source of the noise to show itself.

"What is it?" Harry whispered to an alert Kiba.

"Intruder. No Leaf-nin would make a stupid mistake like stepping on a branch. We live in a forest for Kami's sake!" The muttered reply was enough to worry the ninja-wizard.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Sakura shouted, drawing a handful of shuriken.

The shape that stepped from the shadows slowly formed into a man.

Harry vaguely wondered why half the shinobi suddenly went stiff. Naruto hadn't reacted, but Sakura…

Harry shivered seeing the girl's reaction. The blank stare, totally devoid of any emotion whatsoever, was so out of place, it was like staring at a wall.

The boy wasn't tall. Harry estimated him to be about 5 feet 6 inches. The black hair on his head was swept back almost like a duck's tail. A white shirt hung open, revealing toned muscles, hiding under unhealthily pale skin. Black pants were held up by a thick purple rope.

"Sasuke," Naruto growled, almost feral. His eyes had turned from cold to hate-filled. A snarl greeted the boy.

'So this is Sasuke Uchiha!' Harry thought to himself.

"Naruto." Sasuke looked over at his old teammate. A small, almost-smirk, bent at the corner of his mouth.

"What are you doing here?"  
"I'm hurt! I come all this way, and this is my greeting?" Sasuke's smirk grew. "I heard a certain someone was here, and I came to fulfill my goal."

"Bastard!" Naruto shouted, but Sasuke was already gone. He reappeared next to the unmoving Sakura.

"Hello, Sakura-chan. Long time now see." He reached out a hand to stroke her cheek. The girl leaned into the contact, trying to confirm the reality of the touch. Harry suddenly heard a gasp from behind him.

Team Gai had arrived.

Tenten, the source of the noise, stood with one hand over her mouth. Gai and Neji simply glared at the Uchiha. But Lee…

Harry felt his heart break as he saw the devastated look on the green-clad boy's face. It seemed that Sasuke had come back, and Lee would lose again.

A sigh, barely perceptible, drew Harry back to the tableau before him.

Sakura suddenly snapped her eyes open. The killing intent rolling off of her forced most of the assembled ninja to stumble back, the boys suddenly fearing for their man-hoods. The girl gripped the hand on her cheek in a fist, popping several knuckles under the vice grip.

"KAI!!!" She screamed a feral cry as the entwined hands were driven into the ground hard enough to cause a tremor. When the dust settled, the shinobi observed the scene before them.

And proceeded to fall back on their rears laughing. Sasuke's entire arm, from the elbow down, was buried in the dirt. He stared up at Sakura, eyes bulging in surprise, and not a little bit of fear.

The girl simply huffed once, dusted her hands off, and walked over to Lee, where she proceeded to leap onto his torso and prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was an Uchiha fan girl no more.

Harry found himself wanting a girl to do that to him. 'Maybe Ginny would… wait… where the HELL did that come from?!' His mind locked up in the mental equivalent of a train wreck.

Meanwhile, Naruto had gotten to his feet, still chuckling darkly at the Uchiha struggling with the ground. Several (painful) tugs later, and the two stood facing each other.

"You're lucky." Naruto's statement was received with a blank stare. "She was gonna break your legs." Naruto suddenly frowned. "Care to explain why I shouldn't do the honors?"

Sasuke blanched. He froze up, looking at his old teammates, his former comrades, who had come so very far from their genin days. Sakura, strong as an ox, but as beautiful as her namesake. Naruto, tall, muscular, and mature. The insight truly terrified Sasuke.

"I… That is to say… umm…" He stammered for a couple seconds before stopping. He hung his head. Grief and shame welled up in his chest, threatening to burst out. "I have no reason. I deserve worse for how I acted. I was a damned fool. I'm sorry. So sorry!" Sasuke finally broke down in tears, repeating "I'm sorry," again and again, before Naruto put a hand on his shoulder. The two stared at each other for a moment before Naruto smirked a bit.

"Yes, you were a fool. Kakashi-taicho always said 'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon comrades are worse than trash.' There's a reason for that. We would have helped you then. All you needed to do was ask." Naruto chuckled a bit, and Sasuke actually felt a chance at redemption.

"Besides, he also said look under the underneath! If you had, you would have realized the revenge and hatred was unnecessary! Then, you get started on the second half of your dream!" The blonde finished with an exaggerated pervert-grin.

WHACK!!!

"Oww! Sakur--- oh!" Naruto rubbed his head in pain, before turning to his tormentor. "Hinata-chan! Heh, heh… gulp!"

Hinata was fuming at the apparent perversion in Naruto. She turned her baleful stare on her blonde crush.

"None of that. We didn't have you train for three years to be another pervert, Naruto-kun." Sasuke smiled, before wilting under her attention as the small girl turned to him. "And you, Uchiha-san. If all that was true, then you are a fool, but an apologetic fool. You are willing to repent, and we shall give you the opportunity. I assume that, as you are here alone, Orochimaru and his sound-cronies are indisposed? Otherwise, they might have followed you. Right?" Her tone brokered no argument, and Sasuke meekly nodded. "Good. Then we'll report to the Hokage immediately. Move it!" She shouted the last words, grabbing both boys by their ears and dragging them away.

The remaining shinobi simply gaped at the scene that unfolded in front of them. It could have been the Uchiha crying, Naruto as a pervert, or Hinata actually dominating two growing teens, or some combination of the three, but all thought had been cut off, even to the degree that Kiba and Ino both sported hanging jaws.

Two poofs heralded the arrival of three more shinobi. Asuma and Kurenai both appeared next to the tree, bearing coffee. Kakashi materialized in front of everyone.

"Yo!" He waved at the shinobi. Several moments passed in silence before the cyclopean jonin realized neither of his students were berating him for being late.

"Where's Naruto? And Hinata? And why are Inuzuka-san and Yamanaka-san gaping at me? And why is Sakura trying to pump Lee's stomach with her mouth?"

The other ninja simply looked at Kakashi in continued silence.

Kiba and Harry looked at each other. Kiba shrugged and pulled a cup of coffee from his sensei's container.

"Your turn, Potter-san. Have fun!" He waved before walking off after Hinata. The group followed him.

Harry turned back to his temporary teacher and captain. The man was still smiling his creepy one-eye smile.

'Where to begin…'

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And you thought Sakura was going to welcome him back with open legs.... I mean arms.

Well, the next chapter will be coming soon. I have it mostly written, and I just need to type and edit it.

Anyone wondering, this will be N/H and H/G, but the pairings will build up over time. Naruto isn't just going to jump into bed with Hinata. He's a normal ninja teenager. He sees pretty girl, he wants pretty girl, he pursues pretty girl in awkward fashion. Everyone laughs at him, but he still gets the girl.

No I'm not going to consider other pairings. I have the romance plotted out. No one may change my mind.

Next Chapter Preview: "There is more to this story than meets the eye, but not much."


	7. Chapter 6

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**AN- Yes! I'm still alive, and the new chapter is finished! It took a while to get everything just right. I didn't want you all to be disappointed with anything. That said, I just finished the chapter, so if there are any problems, review it, and I'll change it. New thing, I won't be putting disclaimers in. I think you all realize I don't own either story lines, or any characters. I wouldn't even own OC's, as I couldn't copyright them. So I'm just gonna put this to remind you this, from now on.  
**

**STANDARD DISCLAIMER  
**

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Chapter 6- History Lessons

The Fifth Hokage, Tsunade Senju, was very happy. Why wouldn't she be? One of Konoha's golden boys had come home, dragging along several interesting, not to mention powerful, allies. An old friend had arrived to pay for an ongoing mission, and had brought a request for another, even more expensive than the last. Add to that, the beautiful weather. Why wouldn't she be happy?

'I could use a drink…'

So she could have used some sake, but that wasn't a necessity on this wonderful day. So what if she liked alcohol?

"Haven't had any sake all day!" The blonde thought out loud, as she looked out over her domain. She cast her eyes upon the bustling streets, the nearby ninja academy, and, in the distance, the strong defensive walls. She passed her gaze across the streets below once more.

And did a double-take.

"Or did I?" Her soft voice instantly trebled its pitch. "Shizune!"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" Her brunette assistant was immediately poking her head into the doorway.

"Have I been drinking today?" The Hokage's eyes were focused on the view outside her window.

Shizune rolled her eyes. She stepped over behind the Godaime, hand glowing green. A single finger poked to the back of her boss's head.

"Blood alcohol level, 0.01. No, why?"

Tsunade took a deep breath, and massaged one temple before responding.

"Because I just saw Hinata Hyuga dragging Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha this way by their ears."

Shizune felt her jaw drop.

"What?! Where?!" She leapt to the window, only to check herself for hallucination. The tableau was right in front of her. The trio was moving up the street below the tower, towards the door below. A small crowd of shinobi followed at a short distance.

"But… he… they… gah!" The brunette blabbered incoherently for several seconds.

"Indeed." Tsunade looked grim.

"I expect we shall understand the reasoning in a few moments." One of the seven shadowy figures, unnoticed by the Hokage's assistant, spoke from a darkened corner of the room.

"Then maybe we should relocate to one of the conference rooms. Quite a crowd is coming." Tsunade seemed impossibly calm, despite the increasingly bizarre situation.

Hinata was the first into the building. She released the two boys, blushing as she realized how confidant, and improper, she had acted. Naruto and Sasuke, however, merely rubbed their sore ears before trooping into the corridor, fearful of the petite girl's continuing wrath.

A soft cough brought their attention to the woman sitting behind the receptionist's desk ahead of them.

"She's waiting for you. Conference room A-7." Shizune pointed down the hall with a pen before returning to her paperwork.

"Hai!" Naruto snapped to attention, clicking his heels together.

Hinata let out a long-suffering sigh before pushing the two teenaged boys down the hall.

Two minutes passed before Shizune heard the larger group enter the hall.

"A-7," The woman spoke without even looking up.

'5 letter word for disorder…'

The full group proceeded to approach the conference room. Harry led the group, and was about to knock, when a voice called out.

"Come in, Harry."

'Déjà vu.' Harry narrowed his eyes at the door before opening the door.

Instantly, the boy focused on the group at the far end of the generic-looking conference room.

Tsunade was speaking to a number of robed figures. Naruto and Sasuke were sitting along the long table, the former preventing the latter from doing anything more than glare at everything.

The four Akatsuki members were obvious. Itachi and Kisame were huddled with Jiraiya, going over some blueprint. The target of Sasuke's glares was obvious. Tobi and Deidara, however, were conversing lightly with the Hokage and two other people. These two were recognizable by Harry alone.

"Remus!" The boy leaped forward to embrace his former teacher and friend.

"Hello, Harry! Having a good summer?" The boy turned to the twinkling eyes and jovial beard of Albus Dumbledore.

"Sir? You're sadistic!"

Dumbledore simply laughed at Harry's accusation. "Thank you!"

"If this happy reunion is over, maybe we can get to work?" Tsunade seemed grumpy, and was eagerly showing it.

"Hey, Baa-chan! Relax, will you?" Of course, Harry surmised, anyone who had to put up with Naruto was obviously bound to be entitled to a bad day.

The woman pointedly ignored the grinning blonde. "Could someone explain to me why I have an A-rank missing ninja in front of me, without restraints?" The message was clear as the Hokage directed a good deal of killing intent at the youngest Uchiha.

The black-eyed boy gulped before speaking.

"You all know that I had left for power. The cursed seal warped my mind, building suspicion and paranoia. It had seemed that the only person who would have accepted me would have been Orochimaru. It was a lie, of course. I was trained nearly every day for the three years I was gone, but it was simply physical training, conditioning my body. He was going to obviously transfer his soul, my wishes be damned." Sasuke rubbed his eyes tiredly

"Two months ago, I had been given a day off from training. Kabuto gave some crap excuse about needing rest, but I believed him. I went to my room, not ready for what was coming. The moment I closed the door, Orochimaru slid from a shadow. We locked eyes, and he tried to transfer his soul. I had managed to activate my Sharingan to level 3, but the technique was more powerful than I had anticipated. We battled mentally for nearly three days, before I was able to trap him in a genjutsu. I ran him through with his own sword, charged with a Chidori, and coated with poison. It took four stabs to finish him off. Kabuto finally entered the room as I left. He did nothing to me, but I think he was scared." The boy smirked softly. "That night I blew up his lab, incinerated his notes, and fled. I spent the next two months wandering back here, exhausted from my struggle."

"Why here?" Tsunade asked, hands splayed on the table, eyes boring into the boy.

"The curse mark was destroyed when I killed him. All the paranoia and hatred vanished. I was ashamed of my actions." Sasuke looked down at his hands, grimacing as a tear dripped onto the table. "I wanted to apologize for what I had done. For everything."

"What about now? You know Itachi is a Konoha shinobi, now. What of your revenge?" Jiraiya spoke up from his spot further along the table, feet resting on the polished wooden surface.

"My teacher once told me I need to look underneath the underneath." Kakashi, Naruto, and strangely Tobi all laughed at that remark. "If he's here, there must be something no one knew. I know I might not be cleared, or even fit to sit in this room, but I'll give my nii-san the benefit of the doubt." Sasuke turned one last weak glare at Itachi, who stared back impassively.

Tsunade grimaced at the knot she had been picking at in the table. 'Fuck it'

She looked up, only to be extraordinarily confused. Half the people in the room were staring incredulously at her.

"Oops. Did I say that out loud?" She gave a small chuckle she had probably picked up from Naruto, before continuing. "Anyway, I think it's time some rather old, and now unnecessary secrets get revealed." She pulled a folder from one of the file cabinets behind her, before sitting down again.

"This was an S-class secret. I am declassifying it now. It's time for everyone to know the truth behind the Uchiha massacre." She looked both at Itachi and Sasuke, as she said this. Itachi sighed softly.

"Ma'am, I'll do it." His impassive features left no hint at his inner turmoil. "9 years ago, the Uchiha clan leaders came to me. I had risen quickly through the ranks to become ANBU at a young age. I was a true prodigy of the Uchiha. They felt that the clan was being crushed by the village. Prejudice and fear led many to believe an uprising against us was inevitable. I had heard nothing of this, but the elders were not as privileged as I was in my contacts. They told me to spy on the leadership of Konoha, and plan the assassination of top officials. It was to be a coup d'état of epic proportions. They neglected one fact." Here Itachi turned to look at Sasuke, who was surprised by the lack of emotion his own brother was showing. Anger or fear was one thing. But a cold mask like this could only mean repressed feelings hundreds of times stronger than his own. It truly frightened the teen.

"They neglected my allegiance. This village was my home, and I was unwilling to let it be destroyed by a lack of knowledge. I went to the village elders to explain. They approved my plan to try and reeducate the Uchiha to the error of their ways. But it failed. I tried for an entire year to persuade anyone in the clan to listen to reason, but their fear and paranoia led them down an irreversible path. Eventually, I had to turn to the fail-safe plan. I asked for the assistance of two other ANBU members who I trusted, and proceeded to wipe out the entire clan. My allies were killed, overwhelmed by the shear number of Sharingan users, but I finished the job." Itachi fell silent, his story dropping the temperature of the room. No person was left unmoved.

"Sarutobi sent him on an extended mission, to infiltrate Akatsuki which was just beginning to form. Then all the files were sealed, and the record closed. Itachi Uchiha became an enemy of the Village, until his return. Half a year ago, that mission ended, and all records of his dismissal from Konoha destroyed." Jiraiya spoke up, deadly serious for once. "He returned with several allies he had made in Akatsuki, as well as myself and Naruto. The boy who saved the Leaf came home. The last of the loyal Uchiha." The dig at Sasuke was softened by his tone

Sasuke stared at his hands, trying to take in the information. Itachi, loyal? Impossible! But the proof was right in front of him, as plain as day. A tear dropped onto his palm. Several more followed, as the boy broke down in sobs.

"Sasuke, if you wish to compose yourself, I'll have an ANBU escort you to your home."

"No. Thank you, ma'am, but I'm fine." Sasuke wiped a hand across his eyes before taking a deep breath.

"You were wrong, Jiraiya." Tobi's voice seemed less happy than usual, yet full of youth. Like he was smiling and crying at the same time. "Itachi is not the last loyal Uchiha. There is Sasuke. He may have strayed down the wrong path, but he has returned. I can see that. Also…" Here the masked man chuckled before reaching for his mask.

A gasp echoed in the room as the orange swirl fell away, revealing the features hidden below. A man, similar in quality to Sasuke and Itachi, yet distinct enough to only be moderately related. The left side of his face was covered by a crushed and dented protector, the symbol only a faded resemblance to the Konoha leaf. His right cheek was a mess of scars, but the eye seemed as alive as anyone else's. Two tomoes spun around the red iris. Black hair spiked up above his equally scarred forehead.

No one moved. Tobi turned to the source of the gasp. Kakashi starred at him, completely terrified, like he had seen a ghost. Which, Harry figured, he probably thought he had.

"O… Obito?!" Kakashi stammered out.

"Yes, Kakashi. It's me." Obito smiled at his old teammate, before the silver-haired man leapt forward, embracing his friend.

"But you were crushed! How did you…?" Kakashi had his forehead protector pulled up, and his Sharingan eye was spinning wildly, confirming this was no illusion.

"I don't know," Obito seemed a bit confused, staring at the wall over his ex-teammate's shoulder. "I can't remember it at all. The last thing was giving you my eye, and then it goes black. Nothing at all."

"Obito," Kakashi seemed to deflate right there on the spot. "I don't deserve this eye. I… I wasn't…" He seemed to struggle out the words in his mind. A lone tear streaked down a cheek, and wetted his mask. "It's Rin. I tried, I really did, but she…"

Obito furrowed his brow in confusion. "My friend, what is it? What happened to Rin-chan?"

"She left. About a month after you, well, after your funeral. There was no alarm, no hunters sent out. She just vanished into thin air. A short note was all she left, saying how she never deserved your love, and that she was going to help people to pay her debt. I assumed she had died. Forgive me." Kakashi hung his head in shame, tears freely running down his cheeks.

"There's nothing to forgive, old friend." Obito smiled, before slinging an arm over his friend's shoulder. "We'll just have to find her! Together. Team Minato, just like old times!" The two wandered off to a corner to reminisce about missions past and adventures long ended.

A small cough brought the rest of the assembled group's attention to the man standing behind the Hokage.

"Ah, yes. Gomen, Dumbledore-san. I almost forgot." Tsunade turned to the shinobi before her. "There is a new mission, contracted by Dumbledore-san just recently. We are to provide a special force to defend his school, as well as aid in the fight against a dark wizard, one Lord Voldiemart."

"Voldemort."

"Whatever. The following shinobi will remain here. The rest of you are free to go." Tsunade pulled a small scroll from the pile before her, and read the names listed.

"Potter Harry, by request, magical support."

"Hmm?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, close combat, advantage nullification."

"Hai, baa-chan"

"Rock Lee, close combat."

"YOSH!"  
"Haruno Sakura, medic."

"Yes, Hokage-sama"

"Hyuga Hinata, reconnaissance."

"H-Hai!"

"Tenten, ranged support."

The only response was a ring of drawn steel

"Hatake Kakashi, back-up trainer and jutsu specialist."

"Ne, Tsunade-sama?"

"Uchiha Obito, Codename Tobi, team leader, reconnaissance"

The dark haired man slapped a high five with Naruto

"And finally, Might Guy, close combat, team leader"

"The Flames of Youth will not fa-"

"Yes, yes, we know, Gai. Now, the nine of you will be escorted to this- Woghearts-"

"Hogwarts!"

"Whatever! Hogwarts, by Lupin-san and Dumbledore-san. You have two hours to prepare. As for the rest of you, well… You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."

The assembled ninja looked around proudly; ready to do any mission set before them.

"Disperse!" The only response was a rustle as over two dozen bodies vanished out the opened window.

* * *

**AN- Hope you enjoyed this bit of history. Next chapter is a bit of filler, updating the characters a bit, then off to England! I might decide to have some fun with translation charms, but I don't know. If there is anything that is either relevant, or popular, review it, and I might squeeze it in. Don't wait too long!**

**Review, or I'll sick my small redhaired friend on you!  
**


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